NEBRASKA CASEWORKER SHOT DURING CHILD WELFARE CHECK

LINCOLN- A Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services caseworker is recovering from a gunshot to the leg during a welfare check this week. According to the Lincoln Police Department, officers were called to the area of North 7th and ‘Y’ Streets where officers found a 28-year-old man with one gunshot wound to his leg.

Lincoln Police Department has at this time not released the name of the man shot but he was taken to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries by Lincoln Fire and Rescue. Police investigation found that two DHHS caseworkers were responding to the home for a child welfare check when while on the lawn, Brent Lopez, 38, of Lincoln, came outside and fired multiple rounds with a handgun.

The Lincoln Police Department said police arrested Lopez without incident for assault on an officer, a Class II felony, use of a firearm to commit a felony, and was taken to the Lancaster County Jail. The three children interviewed at the BraveBe Child Advocacy Center and will be "cared for at a safe location", according to the Lincoln Police Department.

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$1.1 MILLION FEDERAL GRANT TO REVIVE NEGLECTED OMAHA PARK IS LINKED TO NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING

OMAHA- On Friday, it was announced that Omaha's Habitat for Humanity announced that it had received $1.1 million to both resurrect a long-neglected Noth Omaha park and begin rebuilding Bluestem Prairie, an 85-home subdivision that will now become affordable housing. Myott Park, near 52nd Street and Sorenson Parkway, will be expanded to include a new amphitheater, picnic pavillions, walking and bicycle trails, and courts for basketball and pickleball.

The grant will be added to an existing $25 million for affordable housing. Before the revitalization of Bluestem Prairie was planned, the site had been vacant for around 16 years following the demolition of the Wintergreen Apartment Complex, which was originally built in 1975. "People lived here, they made memories here," said Amanda Brewer, director of Habitat for Humanity in Omaha, "We see North Omaha as a cultural oasis full of historic places and vibrant people, and we always want to honor what came before."

Dignitaries at the groundbreaking included a representative of U.S. Rep. Don Bacon's office, Omaha Parks Director Matthew Kalcevich, and City Councilwoman Juanita Johnson. Although Habitat will oversee the park revival, the City of Omaha is to provide continuing maintenance and support. Habitat for Humanity thanked Bacon's office for securing the $1.1 million in congressional community funding, and Bacon said he expects the revival to "change lives and empower a new generation of homeowners within a framework of education and support to ensure the residents' long-term success."

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PLATTE INSTITUTE AWARDS MICROGRANTS TO NEBRASKA GROUPS THAT HELP INTEGRATE FORMER INMATES INTO WORKFORCE

LINCOLN- On Tuesday, six Nebraska organizations that help former inmates find employment and progress in their communities were awarded "microgrants" from the Platte Institute, a nonprofit aiming to remove barriers to growth and opportunity, especially in workforce development.

Institute CEO Jim Vokal said the grants are meant to underscore what the organization sees as a need for Nebraska's lawmakers, which is to adopt workforce licensing reform, particularly for universal recognition of licenses from out-of-state, along with a second chance component to remove the barriers that currently exclude some former inmates from state licensure in certain occupations.

Such legislation, according to Vokal, "will open our workforce to groups that have traditionally faced barriers to work and those impacted by burdensome overregulation." Awardees include the Heart Ministry Center, On The Inside, Omaha Alternatives to Violence Project; Bridges to Hope, Queens Butterfly House, and Nebraskans Unafraid.

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STUDENTS URGED TO GET INVOLVED AND 'USE THEIR VOICE' TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE

LINCOLN- Last Friday, nearly 150 college students filed into an event hall for the fifth annual Nebraska Youth Climate Summit, which is organized by Ken Winston, a climate change action activist and attorney, as well as Martha Durr, the Nebraska State Climatologist. The event also featured Louise Mabulo, an environmentalist from the Philippines, who won international acclaim for her Cacao Project, which teaches farmers and students how to build a sustainable, climate-resilient livelihood.

Mabulo told the crowd that much of the work in attaining such a livelihood includes planting a variety of crops that can withstand extreme weather and stop the rapid depletion of soil. "The fact is," Mabulo told the crowd, "sustainable farming has always existed. It has just been cast aside in pursuit of fast, easy, and cheap food."

Durr, who is soon to leave the state climatologist post, also spoke at the event, telling students that climate change is "real and here now." She continued by telling the crowd that if trends continue and efforts don't reduce carbon emissions, Nebraska's summer weather will be like southern Oklahoma's, with temperatures averaging 95 degrees. Nebraska recently applied for $3 million in federal Inflation Reduction Act funds to finance a state climate action plan, which is due next year, and the City of Omaha also announced plans to construct a similar plan, which is expected to cost $1 million.

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$10 MILLION GRANT WILL HELP GREEN UP NEBRASKA COMMUNITIES

LINCOLN- The Nebraska Statewide Arboretum recently received a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service to strengthen the state's urban and community forest infrastructure in disadvantaged communities across Nebraska. Executive Director Hanna Pinneo said the grant will help to improve the health, safety, and well-being of thousands of Nebraskans.

"This investment will not only help to create greener cities and towns, it will also expand access to green space in previously underserved communities and create more jobs in the tree care industry," said Pinneo, "which will in turn deliver tangible economic benefits to Nebraskans for years to come."

Nebraska's grant is one of 385 awards nationwide, which total out to around $1 billion, funded by the USDA and made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act. The primary goal of the grants is to plan and maintain trees, which will help to combat extreme heat and climate change and increase equitable access to nature and the benefits it provides.

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NU REGENT DISMISSES RUMOR THAT HE IS INTERESTED IN TOP JOB AT UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA

LINCOLN- On Monday, the chairman of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents dispelled rumors that he would put his name in the running to become NU's next president following current President Carter's departure. Tim Clare, the chairman and regent, said he will not be a candidate, but will instead head a search advisory committee that will provide input on the qualities needed in a new university leader.

"I'm working hard to attract the best president we can possibly attract," said Clare, "If we can attract the right visionary leaders, we can do some amazing things at the university." Clare, an attorney, has served on the Board of Regents since 2008, having been reelected in 2014 and 2020. In the past, Clare has been the subject of rumors concerning a run for higher political office, like Governor of Nebraska.

Some NU observers expressed concern that if Clare was interested in the job, it would discourage other candidates from applying. During the last Board of Regents meeting, however, Clare pushed away these rumors and announced that a professional search firm and an appointed advisory committee will be selected during the next meeting to aid in the presidential search.

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MORE CANDIDATES JOIN RACE FOR NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE

LINCOLN- Two more candidates have announced bids for seats in the Nebraska Legislature, including one incumbent lawmaker and another candidate involved in multiple community organizations. State Sen. Rob Dover of Norfolk announced that he plans to seek a complete term in the Legislature after being appointed to replace now-U.S. Rep. Mike Flood last year.

Last week, Lincoln business owner Seth Derner announced he was seeking election to the seat currently held by Sen. Beau Ballard of Lincoln. Ballard is another appointee who joined the Legislature at the start of this year’s session to replace now-Attorney General Mike Hilgers, and he has yet to officially announce plans to seek a full term.

In his campaign press release, Dover touted his support for significant conservative bills that passed this session, including a large tax relief package and an increase to Nebraska’s existing abortion ban to 12 weeks based on gestational age. Derner called for the Legislature to return to its nonpartisan roots. If elected, he said, he would focus on education, healthcare, jobs and lowering property taxes.

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NEBRASKA LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE PONDERS THE DEFINITION OF 'AFFORDABLE HOUSING'

OMAHA- State Sen. Terrell McKinney hosted a Monday Urban Affairs Committee hearing in an attempt to lay out the first steps to address "affordable housing" in the next legislative session, first by learning how constituents define the term. LR138, the study conducted, explored the "revolving definition" of affordable housing during a three-hour period where over three dozen developers and community leaders had the chance to testify.

McKinney himself described affordable housing as a cost-effective way to reduce intergenerational poverty, increase economic mobility, and foster local development. "In Nebraska, we need to ensure that we're making strides to true affordable housing tailored to our state's unique needs," he said, "We have to find creative solutions to solve this problem."

Buey Ray Tut, CEO of Omaha nonprofit Spark and one of the testifiers, said one of the biggest issues is the fact that thousands of Nebraska households are "cost-burdened," or paying more than 30% of their gross income in monthly housing payments and utilities. 21,000 households in Lincoln and 55,000 in Omaha are considered "cost-burdened," according to Tut. Lynn Rex, executive director of the League of Nebraska Municipalities, said the Legislature should begin offering tuition waivers for jobs such as electrical work and plumbing to ensure that there is a strong workforce willing to build affordable homes.

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STATE SEN. TOM BREWER, A MEMBER OF THE OGLALA LAKOTA TRIBE, CHOSEN FOR 'COURAGE' AWARD FROM STANDING BEAR GROUP

LINCOLN- On Monday, it was announced that Sen. Tom Brewer would receive the "Prize for Courage" at the Chief Standing Bear Project's annual Indigenous People's Day banquet on October 9th. Larry Dwyer, a board member on the Project and an author who was written about Standing Bear, said Brewer has been a "great leader" on Native American causes during his seven years in the Nebraska Legislature.

Those efforts include working to have a Standing Bear statue placed in the National Statutory Hall in the U.S. Capitol and renaming a state office building in Lincoln after a Ponca chief. On top of that, Brewer also worked to designate a 22-mile stretch of a hike-bike trail as "Chief Standing Bear Trail," to mark the route of the Ponca Tribe when it was removed from its reservation in northeast Nebraska in 1877.

The Chief Standing Bear Project was established to honor the titular Ponca Chief, who some argue was the "Martin Luther King" of civil rights for Native Americans. Standing Bear is famous for winning a court ruling in 1879 that recognized Native Americans as "persons" under U.S. law. The Courage Award was established last year, and was previously given to actor Wes Studi.

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DUNIXI GUERECA ANNOUNCES NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE DISTRICT 7 CANDIDACY

OMAHA- Dunixi Guereca, the executive director of Stand for Schools, a nonprofit that advocates for strong public schools, announced his candidacy for the 7th legislative district seat, which is currently held by Sen. Tony Vargas, who will be term-limited in 2024. The district encompasses part of downtown and south Omaha.

Prior to working at Stand for Schools, Guereca was a union organizer for the Service Employees International Union. "As the proud son of two Mexican immigrants who came to the U.S. in search of a better life, I saw up close their struggle to achieve the American Dream," wrote Guereca in a release, "That dream is too far out of reach for so many people across Nebraska."

Guereca said his priorities, should be elected to the seat, will include strengthening Nebraska's public schools, providing higher wages to workers in the state, appropriating funding towards affordable housing and healthcare, and creating a "fair tax system for all hard-working Nebraskans." Guereca studied political science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and served there as president of the Nebraska Young Democrats.

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WHITE HOUSE TO INVEST MORE THAN $15 MILLION IN NEBRASKA RAILROADS

LINCOLN- The U.S. Department of Transportation announced it’s investing $15.22 million in Nebraska’s railroads. The Biden Administration says this funding will go toward rail improvement projects, especially looking into rail safety and supply chain upgrades. Transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg visited Grand Island on Monday to tout this new funding.

“Under President Biden’s leadership, we are making historic investments in rail, which means fewer accidents and delays, faster travel times, and lower shipping costs for the American people,” said Buttigieg in a press release.“These projects will make American rail safer, more reliable, and more resilient, delivering tangible benefits to dozens of communities where railroads are located, and strengthening supply chains for the entire country.”

This investment in Nebraska will go toward the “Cornhusker Railroad Regional Connectivity Project.” It involves final design and construction activities for track-related improvements, upgrades to certain grade crossings, and expansion of the railcar repair facility. Nationally, President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is investing more than $1.4 billion into 70 rail improvement projects in 35 states and Washington, D.C.

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TWO STATE AGENCIES CLAMP DOWN ON NEBRASKA OMBUDSMAN'S PROBLEM-SOLVING WORK

LINCOLN- For over fifty years, Nebraska's Ombudsman's Office has been a place where state citizens could turn to resolve problems they identified within the state government. However, since mid-August, two major state agencies, the Departments of Health and Human Services and of Correctional Services, have turned off access to their cases management systems, barred agency employees from responding to requests for information, and sharply limited visits to state institutions, severely reducing the power of the Ombudsman's Office.

As a result, State Sen. Terrell McKinney said he's been hearing from Nebraskans involved with both agencies, particularly those in the state prison system, who can't get their questions or concerns answered. "There's a lot of issues that are not being addressed because they are not allowed to help," said McKinney, "It's just making a bad situation worse." State Ombudsman Julie Rogers said she and her staff are continuing to take complaints from citizens concerning the two agencies, but that responses are slow.

"Right now it's taking a lot longer," said Rogers, "We're trying to figure out what information we can get." DHHS and Corrections officials curtailed the Ombudsman's Office access within days after Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers issued an opinion concluding that two watchdog offices aimed at child welfare and prison oversight violated the State Consitution. The watchdog groups are housed within the Ombudsman's Office but are governed by separate laws.

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NEBRASKA ADVOCATES SAY 'WOMEN'S BILL OF RIGHTS' DOES NOT FOCUS ON NEEDED PRIORITIES

LINCOLN- Two of the state’s largest women’s rights groups say a new “Women’s Bill of Rights” misses the mark when seeking to support Nebraska women. Gov. Jim Pillen on Aug. 30 signed the executive order, which defines “male” and “female” for the state’s executive branch and varying agencies, boards and commissions based on the development of peoples’ reproductive systems.

In that “Women’s Bill of Rights,” a “female” is defined as someone whose biological reproductive system is developed to produce ova and a “male” as someone whose biological reproductive system is developed to fertilize the ova of a female. However, Erin Feichtinger, policy director for the Women’s Fund of Omaha, said she thinks there are no rights included in the “bill of rights.” It also comes after countless policies and ideas have been brought to the Legislature.

Pillen said in a statement nearly identical to the one he issued when he signed the order that it is “common sense” that men do not belong in women-only spaces. MaryLee Moulton, co-president of the League of Women Voters of Nebraska, said Pillen’s order is “another volley” in a culture fight that continues to be waged in Nebraska.

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NU REVIEWING BUDGET TO LOOK FOR EFFICIENCIES, INVEST IN PRIORITIES

LINCOLN- In a letter to students, faculty, and staff released on Thursday, NU President Ted Carter said the university system would begin using a zero-based budgeting approach "to ensure we are making the most effective, efficient, and impactful use of every dollar." This includes taking stock of employees, programs, and effectiveness of several non-academic offices as part of a budget review announced earlier this year.

The process was actually announced by Carter as part of the university system's five-point strategy to address a $58 million budget gap by June of 2025, the end of the current two-year budget cycle. The process is meant to help the university system locate areas deemed important by system and campus leaders. Doing so is expected to help NU rejoin the Association of American Universities, which the University of Nebraska-Lincoln was kicked out of around 12 years ago.

"Our goal is to align resources with priorities," wrote Carter, "Taking advantage of our scale where possible so we can maximize our investments in enhancing our competitiveness, academic quality, and reputation." The zero-based budgeting approach was utilized by NU to imagine "how we would build the University of Nebraska if we were starting from zero." According to Robert Kelchen, a professor of higher education at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, such exercises can help universities ensure that their priorities are being adequately funded.

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NEBRASKA LAWMAKER CONSIDERS LEGISLATION FOR ADVANCED FIRE ALARMS MEANT TO SAVE LIVES

LINCOLN- State Sen. Mike McDonnell introduced LR239 to examine the feasibility and benefits of requiring wireless interconnected fire alarms in residential dwellings, similar to a Norfolk, Nebraska, ordinance. The study is meant to inform possible legislation that would be among McDonnell’s final bills before he’s term-limited in 2024.

Norfolk officials, the state fire marshal and McDonnell testified before the Urban Affairs Committee. McDonnell, a former Omaha fire chief, said advanced safety measures could set a precedent for other cities or states to follow. “It is our duty to lead by example and ensure that we are doing everything in our power to protect our communities from the devastating effects of fire,” McDonnell told the committee.

In Norfolk, smoke alarms are required in new dwellings in every bedroom as well as one outside the bedrooms within 20 feet of the room. One alarm must be on each floor. The Norfolk ordinance requires homeowners or landlords to replace battery-operated alarms with interconnected ones at the change of ownership or occupancy. All testifiers stressed the importance of early detection of fires.

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SENATORS RENEW PLEA FOR 'STREAMLINED' PROCESS FOR PARDONING NONVIOLENT MARIJUANA CONVICTIONS

LINCOLN- A trio of state senators renewed their call Tuesday for the State Board of Pardons to adopt a “streamlined” process for people to be forgiven for minor marijuana convictions that do not involve violence. In a letter, State Sens. Danielle Conrad, Terrell McKinney and Justin Wayne said that a “second chance” should be afforded to minor drug offenders by removing barriers to better jobs, education and professional licenses.

“Making sure Nebraskans can move on from past mistakes and are fully able to find good jobs is one of the most effective anti-recidivism tools, and is critical for our shared public safety goals,” stated the letter, which follows a similar request in June. Gov. Jim Pillen, Attorney General Mike Hilgers and Secretary of State Bob Evnen all said that they oppose any process to provide a “blanket” pardon for dozens of people at once.

“Each case brought before the board is considered on its own merits, and involves weighing individual circumstances, including whether the person has demonstrated a record of law-abiding conduct, before a pardon is granted,” said Pillen spokeswoman Laura Strimple. “We should at least be able to come together and start a conversation about folks who made a mistake in the past,” Conrad said. “We really need to have the Pardons Board step up and do more.”

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GROWING PESSIMISM FOUND IN LATEST ANNUAL POLL OF RURAL NEBRASKANS

LINCOLN- According to the latest Rural Poll conducted by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, there's increased pessimism about the present and future of rural Nebraska. The poll, now in its 28th year, found that 27% of respondents indicated that they are worse off today than five years ago, a significant jump from 21% last year and 11% in 2021.

This number makers the highest the poll has seen since 2009, when 28% said they believed they were worse off. L.J. McElravy, an associate professor of agriculture at UNL, said he expected to see more optimistic responses given that disruptions from the Covid-19 pandemic have largely passed. "However," said McElravy, "I still see signs of hope, as we continue to see higher levels of optimism in relation to pessimism."

This was illustrated by the poll, which found that 45% of respondents said they were better off now than they were five years ago. Researchers at UNL attributed the trend toward pessimism to perceptions about the economy, despite the fact that only about a quarter of respondents said they expect significant increases in prices, inflation, and interest rates this year. The data was collected from 1,100 households from 86 of Nebraska's 93 counties.

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NEBRASKA GENDER CARE RESTRICTIONS TAKE EFFECT SUNDAY WITH LITTLE GUIDANCE, NO REGULATIONS

LINCOLN- As outlined in LB574, Sen. Kathleen Kauth's bill that restricts gender-affirming care for minors and prohibits abortions past 12 weeks, Nebraska's new health care regulations will take effect this Sunday, October 1st. However, the restrictions regarding gender-affirming care, which were meant to be drafted by the state's chief medical officer, have not yet been published, so the changes will come with little guidance.

As of Friday, no timeline has been announced for when these regulations will be completed. Genital or non-genital transition surgeries for minors, however, will be prohibited on Sunday, but the regulations surrounding non-surgical treatments like therapy and hormone blockers are not yet created, meaning such treatments will continue to be available to transgender minors in Nebraska.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services confirmed that the regulations were being worked on utilizing internal medical, psychological, and behavioral health specialists to do so. The identities of those crafting the regulations were not released to the public, and will not be for the time being "to ensure that the process is not impeded," according to a DHHS spokesperson.

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ONE STATE PROPERTY TAX CREDIT RISES SLIGHTLY IN 2023, WHILE ANOTHER STILL ISN'T BEING FULLY CLAIMED

LINCOLN- One state property tax credit will rise slightly in 2023, but all Nebraskans still aren’t claiming a more lucrative tax refund available via their income tax return. The Nebraska Department of Revenue announced that the real property tax credit for tax year 2023 will amount to $220.76 for the owner of a $200,000 home, and $264.90 for the owner of $200,000 worth of farmland.

But all property owners still aren’t claiming a 3-year-old income tax credit that partially refunds property tax payments for K-12 schools and community colleges. A year ago, 40% of state taxpayers had failed to take the credit on their state income tax returns as of September, leaving $200 million unclaimed.

Those numbers have improved somewhat in 2023, with about $128 million unclaimed as of mid-September, or about 23% of the $548 million available. A Revenue Department spokeswoman, Lydia Brasch, said Wednesday that more taxpayers are expected to claim the credit in October, when those who asked for an extension in filing their income tax returns will file. She added that the department plans to send out postcards to property owners in hopes of increasing the use of the refund, which is intended to soften the impact from the state’s traditionally high property taxes.

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OMAHA STEAMFITTER/UNION LEADER DAN OSBORN TO CHALLENGE INCUMBENT U.S. SEN. DEB FISCHER

LINCOLN- Incumbent U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer has an opponent. Omaha steamfitter and labor leader Dan Osborn announced that he will challenge Fischer in the 2024 election as an independent. Osborn, a veteran of the U.S. Navy and Nebraska Army National Guard, said his ability to “find solutions and move forward” was demonstrated in 2021 when he led the labor strike at Kellogg’s plant in Omaha as president of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union Local 50G.

“I will bring together workers, farmers, ranchers, and small business owners across Nebraska around bread-and-butter issues that appeal across party lines,” he said in a press release. “I believe Nebraska can show the rest of America a better way forward,” Osborn added. A 48-year-old, married father of three children, Osborn, is a graduate of Omaha Roncalli Catholic High School.

In order to qualify for the 2024 ballot as a nonpartisan, Osborn must collect 4,000 signatures from registered Nebraska voters by Sept. 1, 2024. Among those lending support for Osborn’s run in his announcement press release was Dan’s father, Gary Osborn, a former Dodge County commissioner and registered Republican.

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